Eastern Tennessee Thread

[cybercat]

We had two small branches break off but that was it. But my is the ground soaked. Luckily everyone is OK chicken wise.

We are planning on putting my second rooster Beta in the pot this weekend. He has become a problem with over protection and aggression to mom and chicks and me. He is attacking mom and chicks when they are out of coop. Me he has attacked one too many times from behind. So this weekend I will get to taste homegrown chicken.

On a good note all the chicks are doing well. The two oldest are 8 weeks old and on their own but staying near coop. Time will tell is the rooster is a keeper or not. Out of the ones I hatched looks like we still only have 5 roosters in there with mom. She is doing a good job but I will not let them out again till Beta is gone. I do not need him killing any. I need to get more pictures ofthemthey are so cute.

 

[tennesseeckn]

That's my next step in chicken keeping. I can't actually do the deed myself, but I am trying to talk myself into taking my extra cockerels to London, KY to be butchered when they get big enough. I keep telling myself not to get attached. We'll see how I do.

chickenut, that must be Kismet, you finding that girl. And being able to catch her, too. I have a hard time catching mine when they are in the coop! Let us know how she does.

We had a big graduation day today. Everyone got closer to the big coop and I, for the first time in a LONG time, do not have any chicks in my garage!!!

Cleaning brooders is the pits!

 

[NellaBean]

I can't do the deed either. Sigh.

I also had a graduation day today

I moved 12 girls (okay 11 girls and 1 boy) out of the 8x8 baby pen, into my holding cages in the big coop. They will stay in there for a few days and then graduate to the big yard. Now have 18 younguns in the coop or holding cages, 13 younger younguns out in the 8x8 baby pen with my crippled babysitter chicken. Plus 15 New Hampshire and Orp chicks in a garage brooder....a broody and 2 baby cockerels in a brooder in the garage. A broody with a dozen eggs (pipping today) in the garage. 3 broodies on dud eggs out back in the cochin coop....

I thought I downsized? Geez.

Tenesseeckn, the speckled girl cracked me up today. When I went out to lockup, it was a bit early....and she was way at the top of the yard, near where she used to hide overnight when I first brought her home.....she took one look at me and took off running down the hill, through the fence door and dove into the coop. LOL, guess she didn't want to chance getting locked out.

 

[cybercat]

OK I am lucky since hubby grew up on a big farm and learned how to butcher. Unfortuanly we are not set up to do it really right here. So I will have him skin the bird. I need a scaulding pot which I will buy sometime.

Right now big thing to get done is the driveway. It is mostly washed out and muddy. Got to set that up tomorrow.

 

[tnchickenut]

Quote:
I have a gift for it.... catching chickens. I don't mind saying it here... part of it is "talking" to them in chicken. I walked up at just the right speed saying "Baaaww baawww" and just bent down (at just the right speed) and picked her up! lol It's not a big deal... just have to remember two things.... slow deliberate movements and going where the chicken WILL be, not where they are.

She is not sneezing or looking ruffled... I was worried about bringing a stranger home. She is on the front portch in quarentine, but so far all that seems to be wrong with her is her scuffed up leg... it's bloody and she favors it. No break. I felt for one. I still don't know where she came from. I scoured the neighborhood near there for coops or other chickens... nothing. Like I said, they are not allowed in that town.

Anywho.

I can do "the deed" but I don't enjoy it. I have started to build a butcher station in the back corner of the yard with the thought that I can "streamline" the process and just get it over with faster. I want to be able to do it like it means nothing, but I can't help but be depressed by it a bit. Like I said, I don't enjoy it.

 

[tnchickenut]

Oh and I moved some birds out today too... weird.

 

[Contrastphoto]

I have a little funny story. Yesterday we where outside doing yard work and my husband brings an egg over to me that was in a bush in the front yard. I was so excited because this would have been my first egg! I am new to chickens this year and my oldest chickens haven't started laying yet. So he brought it over to me and it looked a little weird. I was like honey you better crack it open. He did and here it was a hard boiled Easter egg that no one found at Easter. Boy did it stink!

 

[Heathero617]

Quote:
BAHAHAHAHA Maybe the easter bunny just made a second round tuesday night?

 

[tennesseeckn]

Quote:

The EE's should be getting really close!

 

[tennesseeckn]

Quote:
I have a gift for it.... catching chickens. I don't mind saying it here... part of it is "talking" to them in chicken. I walked up at just the right speed saying "Baaaww baawww" and just bent down (at just the right speed) and picked her up! lol It's not a big deal... just have to remember two things.... slow deliberate movements and going where the chicken WILL be, not where they are.

She is not sneezing or looking ruffled... I was worried about bringing a stranger home. She is on the front portch in quarentine, but so far all that seems to be wrong with her is her scuffed up leg... it's bloody and she favors it. No break. I felt for one. I still don't know where she came from. I scoured the neighborhood near there for coops or other chickens... nothing. Like I said, they are not allowed in that town.

Anywho.

I can do "the deed" but I don't enjoy it. I have started to build a butcher station in the back corner of the yard with the thought that I can "streamline" the process and just get it over with faster. I want to be able to do it like it means nothing, but I can't help but be depressed by it a bit. Like I said, I don't enjoy it.

I'm taking baby steps. I plan on hiring someone this time, then trying it myself next time if I can bring myself to eat the first batch. I know it's the right thing to do. If I eat my own I won't be supporting mass production places that treat their birds so horribly. But thinking it and doing it are two totally different things.

I haven't named any that I have growing out. That's a first step, right?